Judiciary makes outstanding success during peak of Covid-19: Anisul

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq today said the country's judiciary under the leadership of the chief justice has made an outstanding success during the peak of coronavirus (Covid-19).

"During the Covid-19 peak, the justices kept running the judicial proceedings by conducting virtual court which has been lauded at the international arena," he told a discussion marking Bangladesh Supreme Court Day at the apex court's auditorium here.

President Md Abdul Hamid was the chief guest of the discussion.

The law minister said the conducting of virtual court revealed the efficiency and capability of the entire judiciary.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also a great contributions to bring the judiciary to today's position, he said.

Anisul said the Supreme Court (SC) has many remarkable contributions in establishing rule of law in its journey of 48 years last.

In spite of being delay, the role of the apex court in scrapping the indemnity ordinance, trials of Bangabandhu murder case and jail killing and crimes against humanity in 1971 Liberation War cannot be forgotten, he added.

He said the nation will always remember the trial incidents through which it got freed from the stigma of the culture of impunity.

"We can say it with pride that today's Bangladesh Supreme Court is completely independent. But if we do not remember the tough struggle to come to that position, it could be errors in the future journey," he said.

He said it should be remembered that even a case was not lodged in the 21 years after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the black night of August 15, 1975.

Moreover, indemnity ordinance was imposed to stop the path of trial of Bangabandhu's assassination, he said.

Anisul said returning to the country in 1981, Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina came to the court many times seeking the trial of the father of the nation.

But she hadn't get justice as the then courts didn't take any steps in fear of an invisible evil force, he said.

He said Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina had to wait for the trial of his father's assassination till her coming to power in 1996.

After her forming of the government, the trial was held following all legal procedures and a court delivered verdict in Bangabandhu murder case, he recalled.

But when she lost the elections in 2001, the trial of the case was again halted at the evil efforts of the same force, he said.

"Today I can firmly say that today's Supreme Court has reached a firmed position from the situation," he added.

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain chaired the function while SC Appellate Division's Justice Mirza Hussain Haider, Justice M. Enayetur Rahim, Attorney General and Supreme Court Bar Association President AM Amin Uddin and association's General Secretary Barrister Ruhul Kuddus Kajal addressed it.